Vampire Chronicles: Crimson Blood

Chapter 44: Dangerous Discourse ~ Part Two

Daniel

Dangerous Discourse ~ Part Two

But Tristan wasn't going to make it that easy for me. As we made our way down the rain soaked alleyway, he stopped short.

"You know, I don't need a goddamned babysitter."

"I don't believe I said anything of the sort." I stood at his side and studied his facial features with unintended intensity. That smooth, tanned skin begged to be touched and I understood, maybe I even saw in some flash of the boy's memories the way he'd looked the first night Lestat had seen him. Ever the sensualist, our fearless leader wouldn't have stood a chance against this sinful child whose full lips seemed to mesmerize me as he spoke.

"You said I wasn't going to be leaving your side. What is that if not babysitting me?" He folded his arms across his chest. "You think you're going to just appear out of nowhere and tell me what I can do or where I can go?"

"What I think is that you should consider things very carefully, Tristan." I reached to collect one of his hands in mine and turned it wrist up. I looked him directly in the eye and brought his pulse to my mouth. I saw him grimace as I sank my teeth into the veins and then I both felt and tasted what I expected: Pain, and a yearning beyond definition. It was wrapped in lust and anger, and it was the sweetest thing I'd tasted in years. I forced myself to draw the least amount into my mouth to avoid the rapture our kind can obtain in only that source.

"Daniel," He spoke my name faintly and in it I could hear the ache of his heart.

I lowered his hand and held it as I shook my head. "You cannot fathom the infection you carry within you now. It is worse than any mortal illness you've ever known. Your friends, they understand this Tristan. You know they see something terribly wrong, and lucky for them they cannot conceive the truth of your numbered days or they would feel a heartbreak as great as the one you carry but cannot express."

He yanked his hand away. "It is not fair that you can read me in that way and I might add, altogether rude."

I couldn't help but to chuckle. "Soon enough, it will be your gift as well and I'm sure I won't hear you complain." I walked backward past him with the confidence that he would follow me to the hotel. "You have to consider your friends Tristan, for either way you must tell them goodbye. I don't mean a casual 'see you around', I mean really tell them that they will never see you again. I know it is a terrible thing to do, but you have no choice at least when it comes to that end of things." He walked toward me and with the taste of him still on my lips I felt the faintest flicker of desire, but would not allow my thoughts to turn in that direction. He'd been through enough for the sake of fulfilling vampire appetites. "Of course, I suppose you could just disappear forever and let them wonder whatever became of you, but that doesn't seem like your style, am I right?"

"I would never just leave them in such a way. I have few close friends, but Sabi and Tullio are more than that to me. You probably already know that though." He sighed and moved along a rocky wall to pause beneath the gnarled and widespread branches of an ancient tree. "How much do you know about me, anyway?

Did Lestat give you a dossier?"

I went to him once more and laughed softly. "No, I did not get an official briefing on your entire history, but for now that doesn't matter. I might enjoy more time to get to know you personally before this happens, but as I've said..." "... there's no time for that now." He finished.

"Right." I said in quiet affirmation. "Tristan, I know this is impossible to wrap your head around. Like I said if you know anything at all about me, about my role in this theater of immortality, you know I understand just where you're at right now. I don't know what's going to happen beyond the moment you come into this life. I don't even know where my head is at right now about that - whether I want to stick around or leave you to discover it all on your own." He started to interrupt but I shook my head and continued. "Bringing another person into all this wasn't even something I considered until Lestat approached me. Hell, most of the time even now I feel like I can barely manage myself, though I do manage to look like I know what I'm doing. But then I thought about it, and I realized he was right in some ways to ask me to be the one and I also realized that deep down, I might not mind having a companion in this life beyond whoever fills my bed for a night or two. I'm not saying we have to be anything to one another or that we will be - for all I know you will hate me once it's done or maybe you hate me now, I